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Today, Explained

The steroid olympics

Today, Explained

Vox

Politics, Daily News, News

4.310.3K Ratings

🗓️ 29 May 2026

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Enhanced Games are kind of like the Olympics except everyone is on performance enhancing drugs. The organizers want to push back on the shame of doping. But they're also trying to sell you something. This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Noel King. Deadlifter Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson competes in the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas. Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Enhanced. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Last weekend's enhanced games in Las Vegas, think the Olympics on drugs, organized by a company that sells performance enhancers used by the athletes who were, in fact, real athletes.

0:13.5

Most of them had the bad luck of turning 30, but, you know, they still feel like they have a little bit more in the tank.

0:20.7

It was a mess.

0:21.7

It was the cooziest thing I've ever been to in person.

0:26.5

They built this large outdoor stadium in Resorts World,

0:30.3

which is this collection of casinos over there.

0:33.2

But they neglected to put a roof over it.

0:36.2

It was over 90 degrees.

0:37.4

The sprinters were just like asked to race on this like hot, But they neglected to put a roof over it. It was over 90 degrees.

0:44.3

The sprinters were just, like, asked to race on this, like, a hot track that I don't think you can, like, put human skin onto.

0:45.9

And then the swimmers did fine.

0:47.0

You know, you're in the pool.

0:52.4

And, like, the atmosphere was less the Olympic Games and more like a Tao pool party, I think. On today, explained the organizers of the enhanced games want to enhance you.

1:00.3

Support for the show comes from Dell.

1:02.0

Remember Dell? Dell PCs with Intel Inside are built for the moments you plan.

1:06.3

Still, and the ones you don't, still.

1:08.2

They're there for those late night study sessions when you get to the cafe and there's no outlets, all that stuff.

1:13.0

Dell is built to adapt to you.

1:15.5

It's built with long-lasting batteries.

1:17.1

You're not scrambling for an outlet and built-in intelligence that makes updates around your schedule, not in the middle of it.

1:23.7

Find technology built for the way you work at Dell.co.uk-U-Fourdes-Del PCs built for you.

1:35.2

Support for this show comes from Odu. Running a business is hard enough. So why make it harder

...

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